For today, links to five reports: from Reuters, National Public Radio, Middle East Monitor, and Middle East Eye, and to commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA, UKRAINE and 9/11 TRUTH entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Looting cripples food supply in Gaza despite Israeli pledge to tackle gangs, sources say, by David Gauthier-Villars, Nidal al-Mughrabi and John Davison | Reuters  Israel has failed to crack down on armed gangs attacking food convoys in Gaza, despite a pledge to do so in mid-October to help ward off famine in the Palestinian enclave, according to three U.N. and U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The commitment, made . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 23  Two UN agencies talk about the obstacles in providing aid in Gaza. Reported by Aya Batrawy | NPR  Palestinians across Gaza say they’re starving and cold without enough food or shelter. Aid groups say Israel is not letting enough supplies into Gaza. Armed gangs are also stealing aid. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Israeli air strike on Gaza fire station kills civil defence worker. From Middle East Monitor. A member of Gaza’s civil defence forces, Najeeeb Sakkar, was killed in an Israeli air strike this afternoon while preparing food for his son Mohamed, Gaza’s civil defence service said. Mohamed and another worker were wounded. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 23  October Israeli strike in Gaza was much deadlier than reported, according to testimony. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  The U.S. says it has not received answers from Israel about an October strike in Gaza. A list of the dead, compiled by survivors and provided to NPR, indicate this strike was deadlier than reported. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Netzarim corridor: Israel’s ‘axis of death’ for Palestinians, by Ruwaida Amer | Middle East Eye  GAZA — The so-called Netzarim Corridor is a 6km stretch of land south of Gaza City that divides the strip into its northern and southern parts. It stretches from the Israeli boundary with Gaza City in the east to the Mediterranean Sea. READ MORE . . .

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The perks for genocide in Gaza, by Ramona Wadi | Middle East Monitor  A report in Ynet News describes the construction of “a small beachfront retreat” which “offers soldiers a rare break from their gruelling missions in the Gaza Strip.” READ MORE . . .

For today, just one link: to a report from Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, UKRAINE and 9/11 TRUTH entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM DEC. 23  Erdogan says Turkey in close dialogue with Syria’s de facto leader. From Reuters. ISTANBUL — “In the future of Syria and our region,” President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, “there is no place for any terrorist organisation, including Daesh and the PKK.” He added that Turkey’s unwavering line is to protect Syria’s territorial integrity and unity under all circumstances. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to four reports: from the Kyiv Independent, National Public Radio, Tass, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, SYRIA and 9/11 TRUTH entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE.)  — MCM

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Russia strikes apartment building in Kryvyi Rih on Christmas Eve, at least 9 injured, by Natalia Yermak | The Kyiv Independent  Russia attacked a residential building in the city of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast today, injuring at least nine people, Gov. Serhii Lysak said. Preliminary reports say … . . READ MORE . . .

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Is Ukraine’s strategy to use more drones in the war against Russia working? Reported by Brian Mann and Asma Khalid | NPR  Facing a desperate manpower shortage, Ukraine is relying more and more on unmanned flying attack drones. The weapons are deadly and efficient — but will they be enough? Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, ammo depots over past day — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces struck Ukrainian military airfields, ammunition depots and amassed enemy manpower and military hardware in more than 140 areas over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 23  Ukraine says it received $1.1 bln from IMF in latest funding. From Reuters. Ukraine’s prime minister Denys Shmyhal said on Monday the country had received $1.1 billion from the International Monetary Fund, which would be used for key budget expenditure. Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said . . . READ MORE . . .

Links to podcasts from Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth and Box Alarm Awakening America; other information is accessible by clicking on  highlighted names. (GAZA, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE.) – MCM

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FROM DEC. 21  Former Congressman Curt Weldon leads charge for an unbiased 9/11 investigation. From AE911Truth.  Andy Steele of 9/11 Free Fall and former U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., talk with AE911Truth CEO Roland Angle and emeritus professor Leroy Hulsey of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Subjects include World Trade Center destruction on Sept. 11, 2001, and intelligence failures before the attacks on that date. Click HERE to watch and listen.

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FROM SEPT. 10  Box Alarm Awakening America, Episode 2  Host Dann Cuellar and former U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., talk with author Doug Stanton; former Pennsylvania Gov. Jim Gilmore; Terry Strada, national chair of 9/11 Families United, and other guests. Click HERE to watch and listen.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For today, links to eight reports: from Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, Reuters, the Cradle, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Cats eat Palestinian corpses in Gaza amid devastating Israeli onslaught, by Ahmed Aziz and Ahmed Dremly | Middle East Eye  GAZA STRIP, occupied Palestine  The Gaza-based government media office today condemned the “horrific war crimes” committed by Israeli forces in its latest ground assault on the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, in which 17 tanks and other military vehicles stormed the camp under the cover of drones and air strikes, according to local media. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli airstrikes on Gaza kill at least 20 people, Palestinian medics say. From AP. One of the strikes overnight hit a tent camp in the Muwasi area, an Israel-declared humanitarian zone, killing eight people, including two children, according to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, which received the bodies today. READ MORE . . .

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Some gaps have narrowed in elusive Gaza ceasefire deal, sides say, by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell | Reuters  CAIRO / JERUSALEM — Gaps between Israel and Hamas over a possible Gaza ceasefire have narrowed, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials’ remarks on today, though crucial differences have yet to be resolved. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 22  Israel orders evacuation of northern Gaza hospital; ‘next to impossible’ to obey, say medics, by Nidal al-Mughrabi | Reuters  CAIRO — Israel ordered the closure and evacuation on Sunday of one of the last hospitals still partly functioning in a besieged area on the northern edge of the Gaza Strip, forcing medics to search for a way to bring hundreds of patients and staff to safety. READ MORE . . .

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PA intensifies siege on Jenin camp as Israeli ‘deadline’ for West Bank operation nears. From the Cradle. Fierce clashes between resistance fighters and Palestinian Authority forces continued today in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, where Ramallah’s security services maintain a brutal siege against the city’s camp. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Dec. 22 report from Middle East Eye.

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FROM DEC. 22  Hezbollah contends with rising resentment in Lebanon. Reported by Emily Feng | NPR  After signing a sweeping ceasefire with Israel, the Lebanon-based paramilitary organization and political party is falling out of favor with some of its most ardent supporters.. Click HERE to listen and read.

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What the Israel-Hezbollah war did to Lebanon’s cultural heritage sites. Reported by Lauren Frayer | NPR  TIBNIN CASTLE, Southern Lebanon — The walls of a limestone citadel towering over olive groves near the frontiers of Lebanon, Syria and Israel tell the history of various civilizations that ruled here. Click HERE to listen or read.

For today, links to seven reports: from the Cradle, Middle East Monitor, National Public Radio, and Reuters, and to commentary from commentary from the Cradle and via ScheerPost, MOATS; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.)

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FROM DEC. 22  Israel threatens residents of south Syria as troops expand occupation. From The Cradle.  Residents of the town of Baath in the southern Syrian governorate of Quneitra — currently under occupation by Israel’s military — have been ordered by Israeli forces to surrender all weapons present in the town or face invasion. Israel’s Maariv newspaper reported . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 22  Israeli forces fire on Syria protesters, establish permanent positions in south. From Middle East Monitor. Israeli occupation forces have established seven permanent military positions along the “disengagement line” in southern Syria, spanning Damascus, Daraa, and Quneitra, reports Al-Mayadeen citing a local source. The posts, located . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 22  Inside the first mass protest in Damascus since Bashar al-Assad fled Syria. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR  Syria has a new interim government, but there is concern about how it will govern following contradictory remarks. Some groups, including women’s rights advocates, are already testing the terrain. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM DEC. 20  U.S. diplomats talk ‘vision’ for Syria with ex-Al-Qaeda chief. From The Cradle. The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and former commander of Al-Qaeda and ISIS, Ahmad al-Sharaa, held a meeting with a senior U.S. diplomatic delegation in Damascus on Friday. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf led . . . READ MORE . . .

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Syria’s Christians fearful of new Islamist leaders as Christmas approaches, by Amina Ismail and Firas Makdesi | Reuters  Syrian church leaders are advising Christians to scale back Christmas celebrations this year despite assurances from the Islamists who have just taken power that they are free to practice their religion. The self-imposed constraints . . . READ MORE . . .

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What the Israel-Hezbollah war did to Lebanon’s cultural heritage sites. Reported by Lauren Frayer | NPR  TIBNIN CASTLE, Southern Lebanon — The walls of a limestone citadel towering over olive groves near the frontiers of Lebanon, Syria and Israel tell the history of various civilizations that ruled here. Click HERE to listen or read.

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FROM DEC. 22  Hezbollah contends with rising resentment in Lebanon. Reported by Emily Feng | NPR  After signing a sweeping ceasefire with Israel, the Lebanon-based paramilitary organization and political party is falling out of favor with some of its most ardent supporters.. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM DEC. 20  Syria’s next chapter: Fragile unity or permanent fragmentation? by Mohamad Hasan Sweidan | The Cradle  For years, discussions of Syria’s Balkanization have lingered as a realistic option that could be imposed on the country one day. The ousting of president Bashar al-Assad has brought the break-up of the Syrian Arab Republic back into focus. Click HERE for article with maps.

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FROM DEC. 22  Catastrophe for the Palestinians and the region. George Galloway of MOATS talks with journalist Chris Hedges about some of Syria’s recent history and the some of the consequences of the Assad regime’s downfall. Click HERE to listen and read.

For today, links to seven reports: from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Tass, and the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and SYRIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM   

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Ukraine says it downed 47 Russia-launched drones, 25 failed to reach targets. From Reuters. Ukraine’s air force said today it had shot down 47 out of 72 Russia-launched drones across the country, while 25 more failed to reach targets. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 22  Putin vows ‘destruction’ on Ukraine after Kazan drone attack. From AFP. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday vowed to bring more “destruction” to Ukraine in retaliation for a drone attack on the central Russian city of Kazan a day earlier. READ MORE . . .

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North Korean soldiers suffer 1,100 casualties in Ukraine war, South Korean military says. From AFP. More than 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded fighting alongside Russian troops in the Ukraine war, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on today. READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces liberate one more settlement in Donetsk People’s Republic. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces have liberated the settlement of Storozhevoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, hitting enemy troops and equipment in 143 areas, the Russian Defense Ministry said in its bulletin today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 20  Ukrainian strike on Russian town kills six: governor. From AFP. A Ukrainian strike on the Russian town of Rylsk in the Kursk region near the border with Ukraine on Friday killed six people including a child, the local governor said. “Six people were killed, including a child. Ten victims . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 21  ‘Dead and wounded’ in Ukrainian strike on Russian region: investigators. From AFP. A Ukrainian strike on the town of Rylsk in Russia’s Kursk region on Friday has left “dead and wounded” people but the precise toll is unclear, Russia’s Investigative Committee said. READ MORE . . .

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Assassinations of pro-war figures seek to demoralize Russia, punish war criminals, by Oleg Sukhov | The Kyiv Independent  Russian military officials — including Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov in Moscow on Dec. 17 — as well as propagandists and those seen as collaborators by Kyiv have been assassinated in Russia or the Ukrainian territories it occupies since the beginning of . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, only two links, to reports from the Associated Press and the Anadolu Agency; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA and UKRAINE  entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli strikes in Gaza kill at least 22 as Vatican envoy visits Christians for pre-Christmas Mass, by Wafaa Shurafa and Tia Goldenberg | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into today killed at least 22 people, including five children, Palestinian medical officials said, while Gaza’s small Christian community celebrated a pre-Christmas Mass. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli government still far from reaching prisoner swap agreement with Hamas: report, by Said Amori and Ekrem Biceroglu | Anadolu Agency   JERUSALEM — Israeli officials said on Saturday the Israeli government is still far from reaching a prisoner swap agreement with Hamas. READ MORE . . .

For today, just one link, to commentary from Jonathan-Cook.net; other articles are accessible by clicking on the blog’s initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM DEC. 19  Israel, not the ‘liberators,’ will decide Syria’s fate, by Jonathan Cook | Jonathan-Cook.net / Consortium News  There has been a flurry of “What next for Syria?” articles in the wake of dictator Bashar al-Assad’s hurried exit from Syria and the takeover of much of the country by al-Qaeda’s rebranded local forces. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to three reports: from the Kyiv Independent, Reuters, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA and SYRIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM   

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Fire reported at oil depot in Russia’s Oryol Oblast amid drone attack, by Dmytro Basmat | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil depot in the suburbs of the Russian city of Oryol overnight, causing a fire to break out, Oryol Oblast Governor Andrey Klychkov said. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s air defence downs 52 out of 103 Russian drones, air force says. From Reuters. KYIV — Ukraine’s air defences downed 52 of the 103 Russian drones launched overnight, the Ukrainian military said today. READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops liberate two communities in Donbass area, Kharkov Region over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated two communities in the Donbass area and the Kharkov Region over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .